摘要
Nanotechnology is an emerging technology and it brings a tremendous change to human life and economy. When the size of a material is reduced to the nanoscale, its properties may change significantly and becomes a new substance. A fullerene is a molecule of carbon in the shape of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, tube, and many other geometrical structures. For example, buckyballs are spherical fullerenes and carbon nanotubes are cylindrical fullerenes. Fullerenes have been under intensive investigation for their expanding applications in electronics, energy, medicine, and many other research fields. Nanostructure analysis is very important for understanding the formation of different materials and their properties. In this study, a virtual laboratory is developed for learning fullerene production and its nanostructure analysis. The learners can use the arc discharge equipment to produce fullerenes and then use the transmission electron microscope (TEM) to observe the nanostructures of different fullerene samples. The high interactivity and 3D visual effects of the virtual laboratory enable the learners to become familiar with the geometrical structures and properties of fullerenes. A teaching experiment has been conducted and the results show that the virtual laboratory can improve their learning motivation and effectiveness.